Ingot stripping and storage devices



July 15, 1958 R. J. HARRY mco'r STRIPPING AND STORAGE DEVICES Filed Aug. 6, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

J. HARRY ROBERT July 15, 1958 R. J. HARRY mco'r STRIPPING AND STORAGE DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1953 FIG FIG

INVENTOR. ROBERT J. HARRY BY United States Patent 2,842,821 Patented July 15, T1958 INGOT STRIPPING AND STORAGE DEVICES Robert 3'. Harry, Ailiance, Ohio, assignor to The Alliance Machine (30,, Ailiance, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 6, 1953, Serial No. 372,723

11 Claims. (Cl. 22-95) This invention relates to ingot stripping and storage devices and particularly to an apparatus for stripping ingots of all types and handling the stripped ingots, molds, and the like.

Means for stripping ingots and particularly hydraulic means for stripping ingots are as old as the steel industry and have taken many and varied forms. In the early days of the steel industry hydraulic strippers, were pro vided which were located on a stationary bridge and the trolley to which the stripper was attached was arranged to travel on the bridge so as to cover more than one track on which the ingots to be stripped were located. ingots to be stripped were moved from the teeming platform to the stripper by means of a locomotive. Later these stationary strippers were replaced by screw type electric strippers in which a motor driven screw operated to re move the ingot from the ingot mold. In the screw type stripper the trolley carrying the stripping device is arranged to travel over a bridge and the bridge in turn is designed to operate on a runway usually extending the full length of the building in which stripping operations were being carried out. The screw type stripper has the very decided advantage over the old stationary stripper that it is mobile and can strip ingots any place in the building.

I provide, in a preferred embodiment, a stripping and storage device which has all of the mobility of the screw stripping devices discussed above plus many other advantages. I provide a stripper which may be turned 360 on the vertical axis thereby making it possible to pick up stripped ingots or molds located at any angular position on the stripping floor. in addition I provide means for engaging and lifting stripped ingots or molds regardless of the position of the ingot or themold without reliance upon the lugs projecting from the mold or the neck of the ingot.

Preferably I provide in a mechanism for stripping ingots or the like, a track supported above an area where stripping or the like is to be carried out, movable bridge rneans movable along the track over said area, carrier means on the bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted on the frame means for rotation through 360?, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, rammeans on said extensible means movable therewith, gripping means on the extensible means movable vertically thr'ougfh a, portion of the travel of said extensible means, means on the extensible means opening the gripping means at the end of the downward travel of said gripping means and closing the gripping means during the upward travel of the extensible means and link means on the frame means movable generally transversely of the path of travel of the extensible means, said link means having openings therein adapted to en- 2 gage lifting lugs on an ingot mold, restraining lugs adapted to engage the top of an ingot mold and bits adapted to engage the side walls of an ingot and the like object.

Preferably the stripping device of this invention provides a piston rod which isheld stationary while the cylinder moves upwardly and downwardly upon the piston rod in accordance with the valving or direction of a driving motor. This permits the piston rod to be totally enclosed within the machine thereby preventing dirt from getting on the piston rod which might result in scoring the piston rod and leakage of the oil between the piston and the cylinder.

1 provide, in a preferred embodiment, lifting links which are opened and closed by power, preferably hydraulic. These links are preferably provided with means for engaging the conventional lugs on ingot molds, with restraining lugs to bear on the top of an ingot mold when stripping big end up ingots and with bits for engaging the sides of ingots or molds to pick them up from any position without reliance on lifting lugs. These features make it possible to use the stripper mechanism for storing ingots or molds on their sides or in any position, a practice which heretofore required the use of a separate crane hoist and sling or other lifting mechanism.

Certain features and advantages of this invention have been described above; however, other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a following description and and from the drawings illustrating certain present preferred embodiments in which Figure l is a side elevation of an ingot stripping and storage device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of an ingot stripping and storage device of Figure I viewed from the right;

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the ingot stripping and storage device taken through the central axis;

Figure 4 is a section through an ingot stripping building showing the ingot stripper and trolley suspension therefor;

' Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on the line V--V of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section on the line VI- V of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a travelling bridge 10 mounted on rails 11 on opposite sides of the stripping floor. A trolley or carrier 1?. is in turn mounted on rails 13 on the bridge for travel thereon transverse to the rails 11. The trolley carries a motor driven drum 14 from which depend suspension cables 14:: which are extended and withdrawn as the drum is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. All of this suspension is of conventional design. Suspended below the trolley and permanently attached thereto is a framework 15 within which the housing 16 of the stripper proper is designed to slide vertically in inner guideways. Mounted in the housing 16 are spaced-apart sheave wheels 17 suspended on the cables 14a from the motor driven drum 14 on the trolley 12. Rotation of the drum 14 shortens or elongates the cables 14a and thus moves the housing is vertically on guideways 15a in the framework 15 thus raising and lowering the stripping mechanism with respect to the floor of the stripping building. Mounted within the housing 16 is a vertical column head frame 33 which isrotatable within, the housing lra-on spaced apa'rt upper 19 and lower 20 antifriction bearings. A bull gear 21 is mounted on the periphery of the upper end of the column head frame 13 and is in engagement with a pinion gear 22 driven by a gear unit 23 and an electric motor 24. A motor 24 and thegear 23 are mounted on the housing 16 and donot turn with the column 18. Electric power for the motor 24 is delivered from a reeling device on the trolley, this reeling device is of conventional design and accordingly is not illustrated. A brake is provided on the turning motor 24 to provide positive control of the rotation of column 18.

A hydraulic piston rod 29 is fixed at its upper extremity to the head frame 18. A hydraulic cylinder 28 surrounds the piston rod 29 and is movable vertically thereon. Mounted on the column head frame 18 below the lower bearing 20 is a hydraulic pump 26 driven by an electric motor 27. The hydraulic pump 26 delivers fluid under pressure through a pipe 30 which extends through a hollow core 29a of the piston rod 29. The fluid so dolivered enters between the end of the piston rod 29 and the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder 28 causing the cylinder to be extended on the rod 29, in the downward direction and fluid above the piston is expelled to the tank. Reversing the direction of the pump 26 (or reversing a valve, if a non-reversing pump be employed) delivers fluid to a pipe 31 and thence into the hollow core 29a of the piston rod. The fluid in the hollow core 29a passes to a point adjacent the bottom of the hollow core and is discharged through openings 32 immediately above the piston, in the side walls of the piston rod into the interior of the hydraulic cylinder above the piston 33 surrounding the end of the piston rod 29. Hydraulic fluid delivered through the openings 32 acts against the hydraulic cylinder to move it upwardly.

A bullnose or plunger 34 is mounted on the end of the hydraulic cylinder 29 and moves upwardly and downwardly as the cylinder moves. Lifting links 35 are pivoted on the bottom of supporting arms 35a fixed to the bottom of the column head frame 18.

In order to strip a small end up ingot the lifting links 35 are placed beneath the lifting lugs 36 on the exterior of an ingot mold 37 carrying the ingot to be stripped. The bullnose 34 is depressed by pumping hydraulic fluid into the cylinder 28 beneath the piston 33. When the bullnose engages the top of the ingot the lifting links 35 exert a corresponding upward force on the ingot mold, thereby effecting desired separation. In this fashion small end up ingots are quickly and easily stripped from their molds regardless of their location on the stripping floor.

Slidably mounted on the exterior of the hydraulic cylinder 28 is a cylindrical member 39 provided with V-blocks 40. The upper end of the cylindrical member 39 is provided with an inturned annular flange 41 which engages the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 28 and is movable therewith over a part of its stroke. A crosshead 42 carrying a pair of gripping tongs 43 pivoted thereon is slidably mounted on the cylindrical member 39. A sliding shoe 44 is pivoted to the upper end of each of the gripping tongs for slidable engagement on the surface of the V-blocks 40.

In order to remove a big end up ingot, the stripper, beginning With the cylinder 28 in the top position as shown in Figure 3, has the bullnose 34 and hydraulic cylinder 28 fully retracted with the annular flange 41 on the cylindrical member 39 resting on top of the cylinder 28. In this position the gripping tongs 43 are in the closed position. As pressure is applied between the hydraulic cylinder 28 and the piston 33 through pipe 30 the cylinder 28 and the bullnose attached to it move downwardly. At the same time the cylindrical member 39 supported on the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 28 by the flange 41 moves downwardly carrying with it the V-blocks 40. At the same time crosshead 42 moves downwardly with the gripping tongs 43. After the member 39 has moved downwardly two to three feet, bolts 45, pivoted to the crosshead and extending upwardly through an opening in a lug on the head frame 18, prevent the crosshead 42 and gripping tongs 43 from moving downwardly any further. Continued downward movement of the cylinder 28 carries the cylindrical member 39 through the crosshead 42, moving the V-blocks downwardly. The shoes 44 slide along the inclined surface of the descending V- block and open the gripping tongs 43 which remain open during the balance of the stroke of the cylinder 28. When the cylindrical member 39 moves downwardly until the lower edge of the V-blocks 40 rests on the crosshead 42, the bolts 45 support both the crosshead 42 and the cylindrical member 39 and further downward movement of the bullnose is independent thereof. Starting in this position to strip a big end up ingot, the hydraulic cylinder 28 is raised to contact the flange 41 on the cylindrical member 39. Continued raising of the hydraulic cylinder 28 raises the cylindrical member 39 and V-blocks 40 and closes the gripping tongs 43 as the shoes 44 slide down the incline on V-blocks 40 until the tongs engage the hot top of the big end up ingot. The gripping tongs and the crosshead are then raised with the cylindrical member 39 and pull the ingot out of the mold. The mold is prevented from being lifted upwardly with the ingot by means of restraining lugs 35]) on the lifting links 35. These restraining lugs 35b bear on the top of the ingot mold as the ingot is lifted free. Stripping pressure, therefore, is exerted between the ingot and the mold thereby loosening the ingot in the mold.

In order to lift the ingot completely out of the mold the lifting links 35 are moved outwardly by means to be later described and the mechanism with the enga ed ingot is raised by the hoisting drum and cables.

The lifting links 35 are provided with bits 46 for picking up ingots, molds and the like independent of lifting lugs. The lifting links are opened and closed by hydraulic power. Each side of the lifting links 35 is provided with an inwardly projecting arm 47 forming in essence a bell crank pivoted on the bottom of supporting arms 35a. Each of the arms 47 is pivotally connected to a pull rod 48 extending vertically along the mechanism and connected at its upper end to one side of an equalizer bar 49. The equalizer bar 49 is mounted in a clevis 50 on the end of a hydraulic piston 51. The piston 51 is operated by a hydraulic cylinder 52 mounted on the head frame 18 beneath the lower supporting bearings 20. Each of the cylinders 52 is actuated by hydraulic fluid delivered from a pump 53 driven by an electric motor 54. In this Way any desired gripping pressure and movement of the links 35 can be obtained. If desired the links 35 may be actuated from the pump 26 by means of suitable piping and valves.

Power for the motor 54 and the motor 27 previously described as well as for all other electrical needs on the stripping column is taken from a contact column 55, which is attached to the frame 16, by fingers (not shown) supported on insulating material on the head frame 18 in conventional manner. In this way electric power can be delivered to the column at any elevation of the column or any angle of turning.

While certain preferred constructions of my invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein, the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360 andrnovable vertically independently of the frame means, means for positively moving said verticallyextensible means reciprocably in the vertical direction, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, ram means on said extensible means movable therewith, gripping means on the extensible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, means on the extensible means opening the gripping means at the end of the downward travel of said gripping means and closing the gripping means during the upward travel of the extensible means and link means on the frame means movable generally transversely of the path of travel of the extensiblemeans, said link means having openings therein adapted to engage lifting lugs on an ingot mold, restraining lugs adapted to engage the top of an ingot mold and bits adapted to engage the side walls of an ingot and the like object.

2. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an areawhere stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360 and movable vertically independently of the frame means, means for positively moving said vertically extensible means reciprocably in the vertical direction, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, ram means on said extensible means movable therewith, gripping'means on the exten: sible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, means on the extensible means opening the gripping means atthe end of the downward travel of said gripping means and closing the gripping means during the upward travel of the extensible means, bell crank link means pivoted on the frame, and means on the frame engaging one end of said bell crank link means to move the opposite end generally transversely of the path of travel of the extensible means, said link means having openings therein adapted to engage lifting lugs on an ingot mold, restraining lugs adapted to engage the top. of an ingot mold, and bits adapted to engage the sidewalls of an ingot and like object. a

3. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area Where. stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means forrotation through 360 and movable vertically independently of the frame means, means for positively moving said vertically extensible means reciprocably in the vertical direction, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, gripping means on the extensible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, means on the extensible means opening the gripping means at the end of the downward travel of saidgripping means and closing the gripping means during the upward travel of the extensible means and holding means adapted to engage and hold an ingot mold against travel in the vertical direction.

4. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable there on transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360 and movable vertically independently of the frame means, means for positively moving said vertically extensible means reciprocably in the vertical direction, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, rant means. onthe extensible means movable therewith and holding means on the frame adapted to engage and hold an ingot mold against travel in the vertical direction.

5. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360 and movable vertically independently of the frame means, means for positively moving said vertically extensible means reciprocably in the vertical direction, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, ram means on said extensible means movable therewith, gripping means on the extensible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, means on the extensible means opening the gripping means at the end of the downward travel of said gripping means and closing the gripping means during the upward travel of the extensible means and holding means adapted to engage and hold an ingot mold against travel in the vertical direction.

6. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mountedin the frame means for rotation through 360 and movable vertically independently of the frame means, means for positively moving said vertically extensible means reciprocably in the vertical direction, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, gripping means on the extensible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, means on the extensible means opening the gripping means at the end of the downward travel of said gripping means and closing the gripping means during the upward travel of the extensible means, bell crank link means pivoted on the frame and means on the frame engaging one end of said bell crank link means to move the opposite end of the link means generally transversely of the extensible means, said link means having restraining lugs thereon adapted to engage the top of an ingot mold to restrain it against vertical movement.

7. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means andmcvable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360 and movable vertically independently of the frame means, means for positively moving said vertically extensible means reciprocably in the vertical direction, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, ram means on the extensible means movable therewith, bell crank link means pivoted on the frame and means on the frame engaging one end of said bell crank link means to move the opposite end of the link means generally transversely of the extensible means, said link means having openings therein adapted to engage the lugs on an ingot mold to restrain it against movement in the vertical direction.

8. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, a crosshead slidable on said extensible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, gripping tongs pivoted on the extremities of said crosshead, V-block means on the extensible means movable vertically with the extensible means and engaging the gripping tongs to open said tongs at the end of the downward travel of the V-block means and to close the gripping tongs when moved vertically with respect thereto and holding means adapted to engage and hold an ingot mold against travel in the vertical direction.

9. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, a crosshead slidable on said extensible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, gripping tongs pivoted on the extremities of said crosshead, V-block means on the extensible means movable vertically with the extensible means and engaging the gripping tongs to open said tongs at the end of the downward travel of the V-block means and to close the gripping tongs when moved vertically with respect thereto, bell crank link means pivoted on the frame, and means on the frame engaging one end of said bell crank link means to move the opposite end of the link means generally transversely of the extensible means, said link means having restraining lugs thereon adapted to engage the top of an ingot mold to restrain it against movement in the vertical direction.

10. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, ram means on said extensible means movable therewith, a crossheadslidable on said extensible means, gripping tongs pivoted on the extremities of said crosshead, V-block means slidable on the extensible means relative to the crosshead and movable vertically with the extensible means, said V-block means engaging the gripping tongs to open said tongs at the end of the downward travel of the V-block means and to close the gripping tongs when moved vertically with respect thereto, bell crank link means pivoted on the frame and means on the frame engaging one end of said link means to move the opposite end generally transversely to the path of travel of the extensible means, said link means having openings therein adapted to engage lifting lugs on an ingot mold, restraining lugs adapted to engage the top of an ingot mold and bits adapted to engage the side walls of an ingot and like object.

11. In a mechanism for stripping ingots and the like having a track supported above an area where stripping and the like is to be carried out, movable bridge means movable along the track over said area, the improvement comprising carrier means on said bridge means movable thereon transversely to the track, hoisting means on the carrier means, frame means depending from the hoisting means and movable in the vertical direction thereby on guideways on the carrier means, vertically extensible means rotatably mounted in the frame means for rotation through 360, said extensible means including a piston rod fixed to the frame, a hydraulic cylinder movable on said piston in the vertical direction and means delivering hydraulic fluid to said cylinder to move the cylinder on the piston, means on the frame whereby the extensible means may be rotated, ram means on said extensible means movable therewith, gripping means on the extensible means movable vertically through a portion of the travel of said extensible means, means on the extensible means opening the gripping means at the end of the downward travel of said gripping means and closing the gripping means during the upward travel of the extensible means and link means on the frame means movable generally transversely of the path of travel of the extensible means, said link means having openings therein adapted to engage lifting lugs on an ingot mold, restraining lugs adapted to engage the top of an ingot mold and bits adapted to engage the side walls of an ingot and the like object.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 526,095 Aiken Sept. 18, 1894 755,496 Hunt Mar. 22, 1904 801,136 Cheever Oct. 3, 1905 906,359 Aiken Dec. 8, 1908 1,059,667 Gathmann Apr. 22, 1913 1,487,032 Shutt Mar. 18, 1924 2,007,275 Kendall July 9, 1935 2,063,684 Kloos Dec. 8, 1936 2,641,806 Leckrone June 16, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,916 Great Britain of 1903 9,137 Great Britain of 1908 

